Shakespeare

Every age has its own difficulties in evaluating Shakespeare. The age at which he lived was too close for him to see him for real. From his contemporaries and those rare and curious researchers who collected the remains of their performances, we learn that "his plays were successful"; and that he was “a handsome, well-built man; very good company, and a very ready and pleasant mind". The light and frivolous critics who were fortunate enough to know him during his lifetime considered him mainly a successful representative of his class, a successful actor-playwright, whose energy and skills were devoted to theatrical affairs and the entertainment of the public. While he was alive, there was no one to make an idol out of him. The newly emerging class to which he belonged was despised and disliked by most of the decent citizens of the City of London; and while the players enjoyed considerable courtyard favor, applauded and imitated by many followers of young law students and fashion gallants, this service and support did not bring them closer to public respect or respect. In the City they were enemies, "caterpillars of society"; at court they were servants, and service was not a legacy. It was only after the appearance of the Folio Edition of 1623 that Shakespeare's dramatic works attracted serious attention from "a wide variety of readers." Since that time, his fame has steadily moved towards the conquest of the world.